LPG Crisis Sparks Panic as Bookings Surge Amid West Asia Conflict

The LPG crisis, spurred by the West Asia conflict, has led to a 30-35% increase in refill bookings this month, creating a significant gap in supply. While domestic LPG supply remains stable, commercial demand faces rationing amid Indian foreign policy repercussions.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has triggered a surge in LPG refill bookings by 30-35% this month, state officials report. In January, only 9,500 bookings were recorded in one day, but the numbers skyrocketed significantly in March, according to Mohammad Amid, divisional LPG sales head of Indian Oil Corporation.

Data reveals a considerable disparity between bookings and deliveries. While the first half of February saw 3,86,867 deliveries against 4,82,341 bookings, March witnessed a sharper contrast with 3,16,926 deliveries from 6,45,388 bookings, widening the gap considerably.

Though assured there is no crisis in domestic supplies across the 12 districts, Mohammad Amid confirmed rationing for commercial LPG cylinders. This comes as Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi criticized India's strained foreign ties, notably with Iran, for exacerbating the crisis prompting restaurants to adapt drastically.

(With inputs from agencies.)